Opera browser's free built-in VPN vulnerable to major security flaw

Opera has added a free one-click VPN to help keep your data and online habits safe from prying eyes, but it's not foolproof.

Opera doesn't get as much attention as the big four browsers but it often leads the way when it comes to new features, partly because like Mozilla's Firefox it's not beholden to the interests of a tech giant. Both Firefox and Opera recently added built-in ad-blockers, which will obviously step on a few toes, but now Opera has gone the extra step of building a free and unlimited Virtual Private Network service directly into its latest developer preview.

Once you enable it in Opera's settings, you'll find a VPN button built directly into the browser's search bar – right next to the address of the website you're visiting. Simply press this button to divert your web traffic via Opera's secure VPN servers. You can choose between VPN servers in the US, Canada and Germany – with the closest server typically giving you the fastest web browsing speeds.